Race as a Hiring/Casting Criterion: If Laurence Olivier was Rejected for the Role of Othello in Othello, Would He Have a Valid Title VII Claim

Authors

Heekyung Esther Kim

Abstract

This Note analyzes whether an actor or actress has a cause of action against casting directors and/or producers under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act for employment discrimination based on race. The author discusses what constitutes a violation of the Act and the procedural requirements a plaintiff must comply with in order to establish a prima facie case of discrimination. This Note then addresses how the law does not effectively deal with the issue and how this inapplicability of the law affects employment opportunities for minority actors and actresses. The author proposes that currently, the only appropriate remedy is a non-legal one which requires a collaborative effort from those who are closely involved in the industry-producers, directors, actors and actresses, and the audience. The author also concludes that government should be excluded from this collaborative solution because of the unique nature of the industry, even in light of the potential for discrimination.

Recommended Citation

Heekyung Esther Kim, Race as a Hiring/Casting Criterion: If Laurence Olivier was Rejected for the Role of Othello in Othello, Would He Have a Valid Title VII Claim, 20 UC Law SF Comm. & Ent. L.J. 397 (1997).
Available at: https://repository.uclawsf.edu/hastings_comm_ent_law_journal/vol20/iss2/3